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No. 550,977. Patented Dec. 10, .1895.

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No. 550,977. Patented Dec. 10, 1895.

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Patented Dec. 10, 1895.

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ANDREW E GRAHAM. FNUTO-U'D1QWASNINGl'UN. DB.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIQE.

ANDREV O. JOHNSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FOR- EST OITYFURNITURE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,977, dated December10, 1895.

Application filed November 25, 1893. Serial No. 492,012. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW O. J OHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bases forFurniture, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to construct a base for furniture inwhich the article is supported upon an extensible portion of the baseand having a pivotal connection therewith, the extension having a rollerconnection with the base proper and the track, which is automaticallyoperated by the movements of the extension, in order that the extensionmay have a smooth surface to run upon, thereby saving the wearing of thecarpet.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an isometrical representationof the under face of the platform or bottom of the article of furniture.Fig. 2 is an isometrical representation of the under face of theextension. Fig. 3 is an isometrical representation of the top of thebase proper in which the extension has been removed. Fig. 4 is anisometrical representation of the guide 18 from its under face. Fig. 5is a plan view of the base and extension, the extension. being in itsclosed position. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are plan views of the base, showingthe tracks in their various positions and the mechanism for operatingthem.

In this class of supports for the furniture the extension, after beingmoved a short distance, engages the carpet, and the remainder of themovement is in contact with the carpet, which increases the powernecessary to move the extension and forms a depression in the carpet,wearing it at that point; and it is the object of this invention toovercome these difficulties; and my improvements relate to a track whichis automatically brought out in advance of the movement of the extensionand retracted before the extension has been returned to its closedposition, and in the drawings I have shown such parts of afurniturebase, which are old, but deemed necessary to show theconnection of my improvements therewith.

The base proper 1 is formed with a central depression, which is providedwith guideways 2. The face of the base is provided with grooves 3. Theextension is located in the central cut-away'portion and is providedwith guides 4:, which ride upon the rollers 5 of the base, and the upperend of the extension is provided with a central pivot 6 and rollers 7,located at suitable intervals. The platform 8 is provided with a centralopening 9, which receives the pivot 6, rising from the upper surface ofthe extension, and is also provided with a circle 10, which runs uponthe rollers 7. The roller 11 has a pivotal connection with the underface of the platform and is located in the grooves 3 of the base when inits closed position. These parts are of a well-known construction, andto which I have added my improvements.

To the base proper are secured guides 12, upon which are located thetracks 13, in this instance made of sheet metal, having their outerupper ends slightly elevated in order to freely pass over the carpet.The rear ends of the tracks are connected by a crossbar 14. To the upperface of each of the tracks near their rear ends are pivoted bars 15,provided with a lengthwise slot 16. A cylindrical rod 17 is supported.by the base and supports the guide 18. (Shownat Fig. 4.) the ends of thebars 15 pass through the opening of this guide, and their free ends arecontrolled by this guide.

To the under face of the extensions are secured lengthwise bars 19,located some distance from the under face of the extension, having theirfront ends connected by a crossbar 20. Upon each of these bars islocateda sliding head 21, from the under face of which depend theprojections 22, which, when the extension is in position, are located inthe lengthwise slots of the arms 15, having a pivotal connection withthe track. Springs 23 have a connection with the sliding heads and withthe under face of the extension. These sliding heads are limited intheir lengthwise movements by a pin 24:, extending from the upper faceof the bars 19. To the front under face of the extension are supportedrollers 25, which overlie the tracks 13. The outer movements of thisextension are governed by the movement of the platform located thereon,as set forth in Patent No.

533,993, granted to D. Snyder August 29, 1893, and when the extension isin its closed position (shown at Figs. 5 and 6) upon the outwardmovement of the extension on the sliding heads are held in contact withthe pins 2i by the action of the springs 23, and as the extension movesthe sliding heads move with it, which will cause the tracks to moveoutward, becausethe ends of the bars are guided in the support 18, andthe other ends have their pivotal connection with the tracks. By thetime the extension has moved to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig.7, the tracks 13 will have been forced out to their fullest extent, asshown in said figure, and at this point the rollers of the extensionwill come in contact with the tracks, and the front end of the extensionwill run upon the tracks in its farther advanced movement. As thesliding heads have an engagement with the bars 15, which cannot movefarther than the position shown at Fig. 7, the heads must remain atrest, while the bars 19, connected to the under face of the extension,move through them, and the tension of the springs will be increased, asone end of the spring is connected to the extension and the other to thesliding heads, until the extension has reached the position shown indotted lines at Fig. 8. Upon the return of the extension the springforce will be decreased and the stops 2i will be brought in contact withthe ends of the sliding heads when the parts have reached the positionshown at Fig. '7, and at this point the extension has freed itself fromits contact with the tracks. The stops 24, coming in c011- tact with thesliding heads, will cause the tracks to be withdrawn during the movementof the extension from the position shown in dotted lines at Fig. 7 tothe positi 18 shown at Figs. 5 and 6. By this arrangement it will beseen that the tracks are automatically advanced to their fullest extentbefore any portion of the weight of the extension is transferredthereto, and the weight of the extension is removed therefrom beforetheir retracted movement begins.

I claim as my invention 1. A base for furniture consisting of a baseproper having an extensible section, an article supported by theextensible section having a pivotal connection therewith, a movablesupport to receive the extensible section and means for automaticallyimparting movement to the support.

2. A base for furniture consisting of a base proper, having anextensible section, a movable support adapted to receive the extensiblesection when in its extended position, and means whereby its movementsare controlled by the movements of the extensible section.

3. A base for furniture consisting of a base proper having an extensiblesection, an article located upon the extensible section, a supportlocated beneath the extensible section and capable of a reciprocatingmovement, an d a connection between the support and extensible section.

4. A base for furniture consisting of a base proper having an extensiblesection, a support adapted to receive the extensible section when in itsextended. position, a link conncction between the support and extensiblesection in order that a portion of the movement of the extensiblesection will extend and re tract the support.

ANDREXV C. JOHNSON.

Vitnesses R. W. EMERSON, E. BEHEL.

